But Still, I Hope
by Bookwyrm86
Summary: I detest writing summaries. Basically though, this will be about Harry. He has had a hard life, and despite everything that comes his way, he hopes there is something better for him. Hogwarts holds many surprises for our hero. AU, different kind of dark.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Not mine. I am broke. No lawsuits please! Enough said.**

**Summary: I detest writing summaries for a story I have yet to write. It is rather challenging. So I am not going to. Basically though, this will be about Harry. He has had a hard life, and despite everything that comes his way, he continues to hope that there is something better out there. But how long can he keep hoping? Will starting Hogwarts finally give him a reason to live? This is an AU, somewhat dark, but not in the traditional way, story about the life of one Harry J. Potter.**

**But Still, I Hope**

**Oo0oO**

**By Bookwyrm86**

**Prologue:**

Harry Potter sat beneath the cupboard under the stairs contemplating his life, such as it was. Today was his eleventh birthday, not that it mattered. No one ever took note of his birthday. It wasn't important. Even Harry himself no longer bothered to note the date, beyond simply reminding himself what to answer when someone asked his age.

Harry's life had been rather challenging. At least that was how Harry described it. Most other people would describe it as a nightmare. Harry had been left on the porch of his only living relatives, the Dursley's, by who Harry now knew to be Albus Dumbledore. Harry thought himself lucky that he'd been able to find out that name. In fact, he'd been lucky to find out his own name, as the Dursley's never called him by it. He was simply 'Boy' or 'Whelp' or any other generic, derogatory term they could come up with.

When he'd found out his method of arrival at the Dursley's, the boy had to wonder what had possessed the man to leave him outside all by himself, with nothing but a note tucked inside his blanket. Despite the various opportunities for misfortune, the Dursley's had found him the next morning, and chosen to allow him to reside in their perfect home.

This wasn't to say that Harry was accepted by his family, for he was most definitely not. But the Dursley's feared that if they got rid of the boy, they would be found out, and the people who'd left him there would come and punish them.

By the time that Harry was two, the Dursley's realized that no one was going to check on the boy. That ended all hopes of fair treatment for the boy. Harry was encouraged to stay out of the house as much as possible. When he was at home, Harry was treated rather cruelly. He was told to do all of the chores, and any perceived inadequacy was punished. Cruelly.

Harry knew that his body was littered with scars from the 'teaching methods' of his Uncle Vernon. He'd broken more bones than he could count anymore. Most of the bones had never been properly set, unless they were too noticeable. But the time Harry was eight, he was having a hard time moving.

Harry was also kept in a cupboard. He shared his cupboard with cleaning supplies, a rather dingy cot, that now had a good deal of dried blood on it, and several spiders. Harry didn't mind the spiders too much. They didn't bother him much, and at least he had something to watch while being locked up.

At the age of eight, Harry had taken to exploring on his own. He'd managed to find himself in London, where he would spend weeks at a time. The streets was far better than the Dursley's.

By the age of nine, Harry had met a man in London by the name of Nicolai Schwartz. This subsequently led to his rather startling discovery of magic. Nicolai was a man in his late forties, who had a rather thick German accent when he got too excited. This was quite often, Harry thought.

He also happened to be one of Germany's top Potion Master's, which Harry equated to Chemistry. He'd left his home country, due to a rather irritating Minister of Magic. When Harry had run into his small shop attempting to get out of the snow, if only for a moment, Nicolai had taken the young man in, offering him a place to stay if he would do simple jobs around the store.

Harry had been extremely skeptical about the offer. After all, his limited experience with people told him that he should trust no one. But Harry was freezing, and rather hungry as well, so he hesitantly agreed, hoping that it wouldn't be the worst mistake of his life.

He'd given Nicolai the name James, with nothing else attached. He knew that Nicolai had many questions about him, but he hadn't asked, feeling that Harry, or rather James, would talk when he felt like.

Harry was gratefully for this. He already knew that his behavior was not typical of a child his age. He contemplated a rather large spider that was creeping across the door of the cupboard as he sat there. Harry had been locked up for about two weeks now, due to the arrival of a rather bizarre letter.

Fortunately, Harry knew what it was already, so Vernon and Petunia saw no reason to keep it from him. They absolutely refused, however, to have anything to do with a school of magic. This led to Harry's current problem. He had to figure out how to get out of the house, and back to Nicolai. He was sure the old man would direct him to the place he needed to go to get his school things. First, he had to get there.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Harry knew this was his last chance to get away from the Dursley's. He would also be able to find about himself, he hoped. He knew that there was something strange, but could not exactly identify what. It was just a very strong feeling. He also wanted to find out about why exactly he'd been left with the Dursley's. He hoped that he could find a way to be allowed to live somewhere else.

The Dursley's insisted that he come back every few weeks, or else they would contact the people who'd put him here. They told him that Albus Dumbledore, had promised to chain him there with magic if he didn't cooperate.

Sighing, Harry rolled over onto his side, wincing as he put too much pressure on his sore ribs. If the Dursley's didn't let him out the next day, he would find a way to sneak out. Eleven year old Harry Potter closed his eyes and restlessly fell asleep, images of all the things he'd learned from Nicolai dancing in his head. Finally, he'd be able to put his knowledge to use.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Not mine. I am broke. No lawsuits please! Enough said.**

**But Still, I Hope**

**Oo0oO**

**By Bookwyrm86**

**Chapter One:**

It turned out that Harry didn't have anything to worry about. After making breakfast the next morning, Uncle Vernon informed him that he did not want to see his nephew until the next summer. Harry held back a very small smile as he finished washing up the breakfast dishes, and only half-listened to Uncle Vernon laughing about how he'd have no money, and would look like an idiot next to the other students.

What Uncle Vernon didn't know, was that Harry had managed to save up a good bit of money during the time he spent with Nicolai. The Potion's Master, once realizing that Harry was indeed magical, had begun to teach him the art of brewing potion's. The older man was astounded to find that Harry was a genius at it. In fact, he was so impressed, he'd gotten an old friend of his, who was also incredibly talented, to come and help his 'James' learn some of the more subtler tricks to brewing.

Harry hoped that both men would be at the shop today. He very much wanted to tell them about being accepted to Hogwarts. Harry only felt a slight stab of pain at his family's desire to get rid of him. He should be used to it by now, after all. But still, it hurt. They were his only family, and they obviously didn't want him. Would anyone ever want him? It was a question Harry had asked himself many times, and had yet to find an answer to it.

As soon as he was finished with his chores, Harry bolted out the door, ignoring his sore body, and headed to London. He took a variety of transportations, including the train, a bus, a ride with a stranger, and his own two feet. He knew that it was dangerous for a child his age to travel this way, but he really had no other choice. Nicolai would probably have fits if he knew just how far away his young apprentice was travelling alone. But Nicolai didn't know, and Harry was not willing to tell him.

It took Harry nearly two hours to get to where he was going, but when he finally did, he headed slowly down the street to the shop, trying to catch his breath. His side was aching, and he knew he was limping slightly. There wasn't much he could do about that either.

The potion's shop was hidden deep in a corner of a Muggle part of London. Nicolai and his friend were such good potion brewers, that witches and wizards would seek out their shop wherever they happened to be. Nicolai preferred this technique than having his shop in Diagon Alley, where irritating people would be constantly pestering him all day when he was trying to brew and experiment.

When Harry finally reached the small shop, he smiled. Inside he could hear the voices of two men arguing enthusiastically over one of the properties of the Draught of Living Death. He grinned, that meant that Master Nicolai and Master Severus were both here!

Oo0oO

Severus Snape—Potion's Master, reluctant professor, Dark Art's enthusiast, spy (for which side, only he know) and not surprisingly, a bibliophile; sat drinking a cup of tea with his long time friend Nicolai Schwartz.

The topic of discussion was Nicolai's young apprentice, James. Severus had known the boy for a little over a year now, and still knew hardly anything about the child. What he did know, was that the child was indeed magical, and powerfully so. James also had an incredibly intuitive sense when it came to making potion's. Severus couldn't wait to see what the boy could do with a wand.

Unfortunately, Severus had a deep suspicion that the child was badly abused at home. James did not like to be touched at all, and even an accidentally brush from someone would make him flinch violently. He was a soft spoken boy and very small for his age. He was overly polite, and any opinion he dared voice, he seemed to wait tensely for a rebuke.

The boy had shoulder-length, midnight black hair that he kept tied back out of his face. He insisted that it looked ridiculous when it was short. His eyes were a shocking shade of emerald, and glittered brightly from behind rather thick glasses. Severus was convinced that once James put on some weight, he would be an incredibly beautiful child.

Something else that interested Severus greatly was the boy's intelligence. He seemed to remember everything he'd ever read or heard. This led to Nicolai teaching the young boy to speak German, which he did with incredible ease, and Severus to teach him French and Latin. In less than two years, he had all three languages mastered. He was currently working on learning Russian, and Italian.

Severus looked at his long time friend, "Nicolai, I sincerely hope that the boy is accepted to Hogwarts, and that he chooses to come. I am very interested in who he is. I think the boy will be an incredibly powerful wizard, possibly more so than Albus Dumbledore, or the Dark Lord ever were. Besides, it is about time that someone with real talent came to that bloody school."

"Now Severus, one day you will be released from the Headmaster. Then you may do what you like. Perhaps you should start your own school? After all, you've been a teacher for a long time now," Nicolai said with a smile. The younger man let out a snort at this,

"I don't think so!" he exclaimed. "I hate teaching. Very rarely do I get a student that actually wishes to learn. I am tired of reading essays that are just the textbooks rearranged. No, once I get away from Dumbledore, I will return to my research."

"Severus, if James gets to go to Hogwarts, will you keep an eye out for him, no matter who he ends up being? I worry for the boy."

"I will protect him, my friend. That child is a Slytherin if I ever saw one, and my snakes will keep him safe. I have a feeling that his childhood has been rather too similar to my own. I want to do everything I can to keep him from having to go back to wherever it is that he lives."

"I am worried about the boy, Sev. He always comes back here exhausted, bruised, and hungry. I've tried convincing him to stay here, but he won't. What if the people who are hurting him, kill him? I want that child to have a happy life. One where he doesn't have to be terrified to be _touched_."

"I know, me too. Well, with luck, we will be able to arrange something for him. I just want the child to be able to talk to someone, without fear of reprisals."

Nicolai sighed, but nodded in agreement. "So, what do you think of this new idea of adding a dragon scale to the Draught of Living Death?" he asked with a smile. Severus rolled his eyes at the change of subject, but went along with it anyways.

Both men looked up in surprise when the subject of their previous conversation hurled through the front door, looking more excited than they had ever seen him. Severus couldn't help but notice the dark bruise across the child's cheek though. He clenched his teeth, but focused on what the boy was saying.

"It came!" he exclaimed. Though excited, his voice did not rise above a normal conversational tone. It never did. He did, however, have a bright smile on his face, which was rare in itself. "I got my letter for Hogwarts!"

"Excellent, brat," Severus said with a fond smile, secretly wishing for a look at the paper, if only to learn his name. Severus had only once tried to take a look into the child's mind using Occlumency. It had been a rather disconcerting, and unsuccessful experience though. While he had no problems entering his mind, he could find absolutely nothing of use.

His mind was organized in a vast library, and Severus was startled to learn that all of the book titles were written in a different language, one that he did not know, or even recognize. He found this to be a very effective technique. He could search for hours and still find nothing of use, since he did not know what to look for. He'd not tried again. He had, however, looked for books on the language, but had yet to find out which one it was. The strange script was just not something he had seen before.

"Congratulations, James!" Nicolai exclaimed, refraining from giving the child a hug. "I know you have been hoping you would be able to attend. Would you like for Severus and I to take you to Diagon Alley to get your things?"

"Yes, sir! If you wouldn't mind, I mean. If it is any trouble, I can go myself." James looked very uncertain, as if half-expecting the offer to be rescinded.

"Nonsense," Severus said, firmly. "I need to stop by there anyways."

"It has been a while since I've been," Nicolai noted. "I would like to see what is new."

James grinned, looking at his mentors in delight. He was glad that the two potion's masters seemed to enjoy looking after him, and didn't seem to find it too much of a burden. Nicolai insisted that they eat lunch first, and while he got everything ready, Severus silently handed James a healing potion. James took it, and gave Severus an odd look, before drinking it without a word.

It had taken Severus a very long time to get to this level of trust with the child. He could actually have conversations with the boy now, as long as they didn't go anywhere near his family, his name, or the bruises. If it did, he would clam up and refuse to talk about anything but potions. But at least, he was willing to take the healing potions now, subtly admitting to his teacher that he was hurting.

After lunch, James got to experience Floo travel for the first time. He cautiously stepped into the green flames, as instructed, and called out his destination. When the fireplace spit him out at the Leaky Cauldron, and he landed rather inelegantly on his rear end, he stood up, rubbing the sore spots. He looked at his amused mentors,

"Fireplace 1, James 0," he said, wryly, brushing ashes off of his rather run down clothing.

Severus laughed, "That was a rather ungraceful landing, brat."

"I was doing just fine, right up until I landed," James protested. Nicolai let out a snort,

"If you can call that a landing," he chuckled. James stuck his tongue out at him, but then looked around at his new surroundings.

The Leaky Cauldron was bustling full of people. James found them all rather fascinating. Witches and wizards of every size, shape, and color were wondering around, either getting a drink and food, or headed out to the entrance of the alley. As he took in the sights with rather wide eyes; after all, Severs and Nicolai were nothing like these people, he noticed something rather odd. In two of the dark corners of the bar, two different groups sat, glaring rather intensely at each other. Everyone seemed to be avoiding these areas.

When James looked at the first group, he quite suddenly got the overwhelming sensation of death and blood and a vague thought of rotting flesh. Jerking back with a gag in surprise, he glanced quickly at the other group. This time, he saw faintly glowing, amber colored eyes, and got a sense of wildness and a close attachment to the earth and nature. He was also getting a sense of hatred, and disgust from this group.

Alarmed, he tugged on the edge of Severus' cloak. The potion's master looked down and listened to the whispered question, and explanation of what he felt. Startled, Severus took a glance over to the corner that James was talking about, then quickly led James out of the room, to the back alley.

"James, I don't know how you sensed all of that, but those were vampires and werewolves," Severus said soflty, very gently touching his shoulder. James flinched violently, but was too distracted to pull away immediately.

"They were what?" James yelped in astonishment. He looked very disconcerted at this news. He also got a strong feeling that he should know something about them, but he didn't know why. It was as if there was some sort of mental block keeping information from him. Thoroughly alarmed, James asked meekly if they could _please_ get out of here.

Nicolai gave him an odd look, but nodded and opened the entrance to the alley with his wand. Once James got a good view of the magical shopping center, his attention was quickly diverted from the forbidding sensations he was feeling about vampires and werewolves.

A small smile appeared on his face at all the signs of magic. He'd seen Severus and Nicolai perform little bits of magic in the time he been with them, but this was the first time he'd ever seen so much all at once. The Magical Menagerie, the Owl Emporium, Ollivander's, an Apothecary, Flourish and Blott's bookstore, Gringott's Bank, the Quality Quidditch Shop, and Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, among many others.

James was delighted with all the sights, but seemed to restrain himself as they went from shop to shop. He bought only what he needed from the money he'd saved up working for Nicolai. He refused to let either man buy him anything extra.

This included a complete wardrobe, just the bare minimum, but he had nothing in that department. He didn't bother on loading up with extra books either, as he knew Hogwarts would likely have an extensive library. He did stop to look at the broomsticks, more out of curiosity than any desire to have one. After all, he'd only ever seen a broom used for sweeping floors.

The last shop they went to was Ollivander's. James was rather excited about this. He wanted more than anything to get his wand. He knew that this was a very important occasion for a wizard, as they tended to always have their wands with them, or within reach. He couldn't wait to see what he got.

As soon as he walked into the shop, James came face to face with Ollivander himself. The boy jumped back in surprise, looking up at strange old man.

"Well now, young one. I had hoped I would see you here soon. I have never actually seen one of your kind alive, in person. I must say, I am impressed. Your aura is very beautiful," Ollivander said, staring at him intently. James looked stared back in discomfort. _One of his kind_? What was that supposed to mean? And what did he mean by aura?

James got the vague sense that he should know the answers, but when he thought harder about it, he could come up with nothing. Irritated, he turned his attention back as Ollivander continued to speak,

"I believe only one type of wand works with you, so I do not think this will take long," Ollivander said, disappearing into the back room. Blinking, James gave both of his mentors a baffled look, which they returned him. They didn't know what was going on either.

When Ollivander came back, holding something very gently in his hands, James couldn't help but gasp in astonishment. The wand was made out of some type of material that seemed to be gold, silver, pure white, and every color in existence all at once. The gleaming pearl handle looked dull in comparison. The spirals around it the wand suddenly identified it easily, even for James.

"Unicorn horn," he gasped, looking aghast. Severus let out a horrified noise, exchanging a glance with Nicolai. The horn that was used in potion's was always given by the unicorn, and always ground up already. They'd never seen an entire horn, not attached to a unicorn.

Ollivander smiled gently, and knelt beside James. "Young one, this horn is from an adult male unicorn, who still lives today. Apparently, the fall of naturally on occasion. The unicorns only give these for one of you. It has been a long time indeed since there has been one of you who is also capable of wizard magic. You are very special young one. When you return to the wizarding world, you will find out many hard truths, and even when you think no one will stand beside you, you must remember, the unicorns are there, as are any magical creatures of the Light.

"This wand is made of a proud stallions horn, filled with the tears of his mate and foal. It will help you with your struggles, and if all hope seems lost, will call the unicorns to you. I think we can expect great things from you, young one. If you ever need help, feel free to call upon me," Ollivander said, gently placing the wand into the astonished boy's hands.

When James gripped it, he felt the pure magic fill his body, and immediately felt very strong. He also felt something that he'd not felt in a long time. Love.

James walked out of Ollivander's, after the man had absolutely refused to accept payment for the wand, and headed towards the Leaky Cauldron with Nicolai and Severus. Ollivander also refused to answer questions about what exactly he was supposed to be, stating that it was not something he had the right to do. Both men were silent, respecting James' wish not to speak about what happened.

By the time they returned to Nicolai's potion shop, both men were starting to get worried. James finally looked up to them, biting his lip in worry.

"Do you really think everyone will leave me?" he asked quietly, his voice trembling slightly. Severus knelt by the child.

"No matter what happens, James, Nicolai and I will be there for you. I don't know who you are exactly, but it doesn't matter. You are nothing more and nothing less than yourself. Nothing, not a name, or a race, can change that. Whichever house you get into, young one, you may feel free to seek me out at any time."

James gave the man a very small smile, but felt comforted. He was pretty sure he could take these men at their word. Maybe, just maybe, he could learn to trust again.

**AN: Thank you for reading Ch. 1 of But Still, I hope. Let me know what you think so far. Things are about to get much more interesting in the life of Harry James Potter as he heads off to Hogwarts in the next chapter. He is in for several shocks :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Not mine. I am broke. No lawsuits please! Enough said.**

**But Still, I Hope**

**Oo0oO**

**By Bookwyrm86**

**Chapter Two:**

Harry stood nervously at the entrance to Platform 9 and ¾. He had convinced Nicolai to let him do this on his own. Thanks to Severus, he knew how to get through the barrier, but he was still uncertain. After all, he had to walk through what looked like a solid wall. He took a deep breath, and then walked rather deliberately through the wall.

He smiled slightly when he saw the enormous scarlet train sitting there. It was only ten o'clock, so there were hardly any people around. Harry wanted to be early so that he didn't have to ask anyone to sit with them. The platform was practically deserted, only a few older wizards walking around, inspecting the train. Harry boarded the Hogwarts Express and got comfortable in a compartment at the end of the train. He decided put his robes on now, so that he wouldn't have to worry about finding a way to change without someone seeing the scars on his torso.

Harry pulled out a packet of parchment that Severus had given him, describing various things about Hogwarts. He said he normally gave it to his first year Slytherins, but he wanted Harry to have it, no matter which house he was in. After all, the more you knew about your surroundings, the better off you would be. Information was key! Harry giggled slightly as he remembered that particular speech from Severus. Smiling, he glanced at the words on the parchment.

The first page was a list of teachers and things Severus felt relevant about them.

**Ancient Runes: Professor A. Black – **Alphard Black, disowned member of the Black family, is a strict but fair professor. Has no house prejudices, though he was a Slytherin in school. He is an expert in Runes and he is also willing to teach Warding to promising N.E.W.T students.

**Astronomy: Professor A. Sinistra – **Aurora Sinistra is a very reclusive professor. It is relatively easy to pass the class if you attend and turn in your assignments on time. She rarely gives out detentions, preferring to let professors handle discipline.

**Arithmancy: Professor S. Vector –**Septima Vector is extremely strict and known for removing lazy and uninterested students from his classes. He is willing teach Spell-Crafting to eligible N.E.W.T students.

**Care Of Magical Creatures: Professor R. Hagrid –**Rubeus Hagrid is a half-giant and groundskeeper. He is very easy going, and conducts incredibly easy class. Beware of dangerous creatures in his class! The nicer and gentler Hagrid says the creature is, the more likely you are to get bitten, stung, trampled, or impaled.

**Charms: Professor F. Flitwick – **Filius Flitwick is the Head of Ravenclaw and perhaps half-goblin, it is not advisable that you ask him. He is an easy going teacher, but with strict coursework. Much like his ravens, he is very intelligent. He is also an extremely skilled dueler, so beware.

**Defense Against the Dark Arts: Professor R. Lupin –** Remus Lupin is a very quiet and reserved, but intelligent teacher. He is a werewolf and has extra-sensory skills, so do not try to deceive him. You will fail. He is an easy going teacher, but strict work load.

**Divination: Professor S. Trelawney –**Sibyl Trelawney is a mystic. She has an easy class based mostly on guesswork, and very few real prophecies in her portfolio.

**Herbology: Professor P. Sprout –**Pomona Sprout is the Head of Hufflepuff. She is strict teacher and very observant. Known for docking points rather than giving detention, however, she will give one out if she feels you deserve it.

**History Of Magic: Professor S. Black – **Sirius Black is a former Auror and also a disowned member of the Black family (A. Black's nephew). He knows his history very well and expects you to learn it quickly and efficiently. He teaches much like the old pureblood ways, which is surprising as he is a notorious prankster.

**Muggle Studies: Professor L Evans-Potter- **Lily Evans-Potter is a Muggleborn but extremely powerful. It is wise to take her class so that you do not sound like an idiot around other Muggleborn or half-blood students. There will be _no_ discrimination tolerated in her class.

**Potions: Professor S. Snape –** Severus Snape is the Head of Slytherin, Potion's Master and researcher, dueler, and notoriously strict. Potion's is dangerous, and no nonsense will be accepted.

**Transfiguration: Professor M. McGonagall/Professor J. Potter – **Minerva McGonagall is Head of Gryffindor and Deputy Headmistress. She only teaches transfiguration at N.E.W.T. level, and is known for being extremely strict. James Potter, also a former auror, is a skilled teacher and easy going for the most part. He gives out little homework if you accomplish the spells in class. He is also notorious for being a prankster.

**Other's of note:**

**Caretaker: Argus Filch – **Filch is a foul-tempered and nasty man, who is notorious for his hatred of children. Keep out of his way, and out of the way of his cat, Mrs. Norris. Detentions with him will not be pleasant.

**Dueling Instructors: Prof. S. Snape, Prof. R. Lupin, Prof. F. Flitwick **_**-**_ see above.

**Flying Instructor/referee: Madam Hooch – **known for being a strict teacher, but fair. Flying is a privilege, not a right. Misbehavior will get you banned from learning.

**Librarian: I. Pince – **Do not misbehave in her library. It could very well be the last thing you do.

**Nurse: P. Pomfrey – **Strict with her patients, she is also an incredibly talented healer and able to fix most things after all her years. She is willing to take on anyone with natural healing abilities and provide them with as much training as they like.

Harry looked up from the papers, an indecipherable expression on his face. He quite clearly recognized several names on the parchment. Namely, James Potter, and Lily Evans-Potter. He couldn't help but wonder if these two were related to him in some way. It was entirely possible that they had no relationship whatsoever as Potter wasn't a rare surname, but Harry had a sneaking suspicion that it was not true.

If they were related, then what had been the reasoning behind abandoning him with the Dursley's. Neither Vernon nor Petunia had ever been willing to speak of Harry's family in any context. He didn't even know the names of his parents, or anything about them beyond that they were magical. According to Petunia, they were both dead. He was lucky enough to know his own name.

Harry bit his lip uncomfortably. Things were going to get crazy once they got to the school. He had a feeling that his life was going to change quite drastically, and he was uncertain how he felt about that. He did know, that he almost desperately wanted out of the situation he was currently in. Harry could hardly wait to get to the school library to find out what was going on. There, they would have records of his family, and hopefully he'd be able to find out what happened all those years ago.

Harry absently blew his bangs out of his eyes. He'd cut his hair much shorter now that he was going to school, and much to his annoyance, it had decided to stick up everywhere. He had tried for an hour to get it to lie flat, and it stubbornly refused to obey.

When he'd looked in the mirror that morning, Harry felt that he looked much different. With clothes that actually fit, and his hair cut, and a new pair of wire rimmed glasses, he felt like a new person. Harry smiled to himself. Hopefully at Hogwarts, he could get a brand new start. He had to say, he was looking forward to it.

Harry pulled out a text book on transfiguration and settled back in his seat to read. Before he knew it, he'd lost himself in a world of complicated theory and almost didn't realize the train was filling up and preparing to depart. A tap on the door caused Harry to look up from his reading. A blond boy about his age stood there, an irritated expression on his face.

"Is anyone sitting here?" the boy asked, pointing to the vacant bench. Harry shook his head,

"No, help yourself."

"Thank you," the boy said, flopping down. "With luck, no one saw me coming in here."

"Who are you hiding from?" Harry asked curiously.

"The idiots my father decided I should be friends with," the boy snorted. "The two of the have the combined intelligence of a raisin."

"Ah, not good company then. I see why you are hiding from them," Harry said with a small smile. The boy returned the smile with a small one of his own.

"I am Draco, a first year. How about you?"

"My name is Harry. I'm also a first year. What house do you think you'll be in?" Harry asked curiously. It was nice to be able to talk to someone his own age, as it hadn't happen very often thus far. He very rarely got to be just a kid. Dudley kept all the other kids away from him whenever Harry had the chance to interact.

"I'll probably be sorted into Slytherin. My entire family has been there, and I think I would do well. I wouldn't mind Ravenclaw either," Draco said, thoughtfully.

"I hope to be Slytherin too, but I really don't have a preference. I don't care where I go. Severus said that I seemed like a Slytherin, so hopefully he is right."

"Severus, as in, Severus Snape?" Draco asked in surprise. "How do you know him already?"

"He has been teaching me potions for the last year," Harry replied. "He met me when I was apprenticing at a shop for Nicolai Schwartz."

"Nicolai Schwartz!" Draco yelped. "He is one of the most talented Potion's Masters in the world!"

"Yeah, and he is a great teacher too, if prone to playing a few pranks now and again," Harry said with a smile. "Do you know Severus?"'

"Of course, he's the Head of Slytherin house, and my godfather."

"Really? That is really cool. I hope that we get to be in his house," Harry said. "He seemed like a nice guy." Draco gave him a rather incredulous look at that statement, but didn't comment.

For the remainder of the trip, the two were left pretty much alone. They chatted about things like Quidditch, candy, schoolwork, and about other things that kids normally talked about. Harry was delighted, as he could actually feel relaxed. It felt good to simply be a kid. He didn't feel like Draco was pumping him for information, or analyzing him. He realized though, that it was a distinct possibility that he was doing just that. After all, he was very likely a Slytherin.

When they arrived at the station, Harry and Draco got off the train and headed over to an enormous man who could only be Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper/CoMC Professor. They were instructed to board tiny little boats, and soon they were off towards the school. Draco and Harry found themselves on a boat with a boy that had dark hair and skin, named Blaise Zambini. Draco seemed familiar with the name and was happy to meet him. Harry guessed that he was another prospective Slytherin.

The fourth person on the boat absolutely refused to speak to them, or even look at them, so they didn't know who she was. The girl had thick auburn hair and hazel eyes and was really quite small. The boat ride when without troubles and when they finally reached the school, they followed a teacher who identified herself as Minerva McGonagall, into the building and listened to a lengthy explanation of the school rules and the houses. Harry thought she must have said the same speech many times before as she seemed rather bored with it herself.

Finally, the nervous first years were led into the Great Hall where the rest of the school was waiting. Harry glanced around and saw that the students were talking amongst themselves, catching up after the break, and eagerly waiting for the feast to start.

The hall itself was quite impressive, and Harry found himself quite taken with the enchanted ceiling. He heard a girl with bushy hair explaining to a red-head that the ceiling was enchanted to reflect the sky outside, and that she had found her information in Hogwarts, A History.

Harry looked up at the head table, and his gaze landed on someone who's appearance shook him to his core. One of the professors looked exactly like him. From the same untidy hair, to the glasses, down to the same body type. Though, Harry was admittedly a lot smaller and scrawnier. He was speaking to a woman with bright auburn hair and emerald green eyes.

Harry felt the breath catch in his throat. He nearly started hyperventilating in shock. Before he could panic, he turned his gaze found Severus Snape. The man was looking at the group of children, interest on his face, though it was almost masked by a look of contempt. His gaze passed right over Harry, as he looked for little James. Harry couldn't help but smile. Amazing what a simple haircut would do. Severus didn't recognize him.

Harry was so caught up, that he only just caught the end of a rather beat up old hat singing a song. Then Minerva McGonagall began calling out names. She would say each name, the student would run up, place the Sorting Hat on their head, and the hat would call out their house. It was a relatively simple procedure.

Abbot, Hannah and Bones, Susan became the first Hufflepuffs. Boot, Terry became the first Ravenclaw. Brown, Lavender was the first of the Gryffindors, and Bulstrode, Millicent became the first Slytherin. The list continued with no difficulties:

Corner, Michael was a Ravenclaw.

Crabbe, Vincent became a Slytherin.

Davis, Tracey was also a Slytherin.

Finch-Fletchley, Justin joined the Hufflepuffs and Finnigan, Seamus joined Gryffindor wearing a large grin on his face.

Goyle, Gregory was a Slytherin and Harry rather thought he was a trollish looking child.

Granger, Hermione, the girl who'd talked about the ceiling, became a Gryffindor.

Greengrass, Daphne was a Slytherin.

Longbottom, Neville became a Gryffindor and tried to run off with the Sorting Hat, and had to promptly return it to Macmillan, Ernie who soon joined the Hufflepuffs.

Malfoy, Draco was a Slytherin. Draco walked calmly over to his table, a small smirk on his face. He nodded to his godfather as he walked by.

Nott, Theodore was a Slytherin.

Parkinson, Pansy was a Slytherin.

Patil, Padma was a Ravenclaw and her twin sister Patil, Parvati joined Gryffindor.

Harry held his breath. He knew that his name would be coming up soon, and he was getting anxious about the reactions of everyone around him. The next name McGonagall called shocked him enormously.

"Potter, Arianna," McGonagall called. Harry felt his jaw drop in astonishment. Professors Potter and Evan-Potter watched with proud smiles as the girl that had sat on the boat with Harry and Draco walked confidently up to the Sorting Hat.

Harry also saw the disgusted look on Severus Snape's face as he watched the sorting of the girl. Arianna was quite obviously the daughter of two of his coworkers, James and Lily.

The Sorting Hat seemed to take a long moment, then called out, "Ravenclaw!"

Harry watched as the girl, who was very likely related to him in some way, trot off towards the Ravenclaw table. She waved at the head table, where her parents were clapping, smiles on their faces. She seemed quite proud of herself, as she seated herself among some of the other first year Ravens. Harry held his breath, his body tensing up. Unless there were any other Potter's, he was next.

He saw McGonagall glance down at the parchment in her hands, then her eyes widened quite noticeably in astonishment. Her face grew pale so rapidly that the Headmaster looked at his deputy headmistress in alarm. Her hand on her chest, Minerva looked up and called out in a somewhat shaky voice,

"Potter, Harry."

The silence in the Hall was absolute. James and Lily had astounded expressions on their faces, and Arianna whirled around in shock. Sirius Black had promptly choked on the pumpkin juice he'd been drinking, and Remus Lupin's eyes widened noticeably. The Headmaster leaned forward, his undivided attention on the first years. The entire school population stared at the first years, waiting to see who would come forward. Harry bit his lip, then walked uncertainly towards the Sorting Hat. He did not like this much attention to be focused on him at all.

He could feel his hands trembling violently as he approached the stool, and the incredulous McGonagall. Harry briefly caught Draco's eye, and saw the boy looked amazed, but gave him a small encouraging smile anyways. Harry could feel hundreds of pairs of eyes on him.

Harry took a breath to steady himself, then took a seat on the stool. He tried very hard to ignore the stares of the other Potters. The entire hall could see quite clearly how much he resembled James Potter. A voice spoke quietly in his mind, sufficiently diverting his attention.

"_Ah, Harry Potter. You I have been waiting for, for a very long time."_

"_Me?" _Harry asked silently, hoping that hat would hear him. The voice in his mind was very gentle.

"_Yes, little one. You have been a long time coming. Hogwarts has never hosted one of your kind before, and we can all learn so much from you, child. You are very firmly of the light, and I think that you can do much for many of the prejudices that exist in our world today. We need someone like you, little one. The Wizarding World is stagnating, and you can bring about changes in our culture that are badly needed."_

"_What am I?"_ Harry asked, sounding a little alarmed. _"Who am I? Who am I to accomplish all of this. I am nothing but an orphan who grew up in a harsh household. I just want to blend in."_

"_I am afraid you won't be able to do that for long, little one. On this year's autumnal equinox, during the harvest moon, all shall be revealed to you. I cannot read much about what _exactly _you are, since that part of your mind is locked. But, don't worry, for you are strong and will easily be able to handle what the Wizarding world will throw at you. You may think of yourself as weak, but you are not._

"_I warn you, however, to beware of the teachers here. They will all want you for different reasons, and you must be wary of their motivations. I know you will do wel,l little one. Are you ready to be placed?"_

"_Tell me,"_ Harry said, trembling even more. _"Are Lily and James Potter my parents? Is Arianna my sister?"_

"_Yes child. Arianna is your twin. I am sorry you found out this way," _the Hat said gently, before calling, "BETTER BE SLYTHERIN!"

**AN: Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reactions of many kinds in the next chapter! Review if you feel like it. If not, I am sure I will survive! **

**~Bookwyrm86**


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